The Kid From Borneo

technical details:

Production G-15.

Release no. C-627.

Filmed January 9 to 16, 1933. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted March 13, 1933, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3713. Renewed October 13, 1960, with registration no. R264096. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2028.

Released April 15, 1933. It was the 122nd film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "The Kid From Borneo".'

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach

This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production." The Monogram print credits Roach only.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film.

Edited by Bert Jordan

This credit appears in the film.

Recording Engineer: James Greene

This credit appears in the film.

Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro

He trained the current Pete.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated in the opening title card.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

Western Electric System

As indicated in the film.

studio personnel

general manager - Henry Ginsberg

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien

film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin

optical effects supervisor - Roy Seawright

still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves

transportation director - Bob Davis

school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

assistant direction - Probably Don Sandstrom.

writing - Robert F. McGowan probably headed story development, while Carl Harbaugh, Frank Terry, James Parrott, Charlie Hall, Robert A. McGowan and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.

property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity.

titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

animation effects - Probably the work of Roy Seawright.

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He has an extended scene with Bumbo, and is otherwise given plenty to do in this film.

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Featured role. He gets chased around the house by Bumbo, and has plenty of dialogue otherwise.

Dickie Moore as "Dickie" aka "Dick"

Featured role. He's the leader of the gang and has plenty of dialogue.

Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba as "Dorothy"

Supporting role. She's the sister of Dickie and Spanky, but is mostly an ensemble player.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins

Supporting role. The nickname wasn't used in this film. He has a little bit of dialogue, but is otherwise an ensemble player.

Tommy Bond

Supporting role. He has one line of dialogue, but is seen through most of the film as part of the group.

Dickie Jackson

Supporting role. He's almost exclusively part of the ensemble in this film and has no dialogue.

Henry Hanna

Supporting role. He's the one remaining kid in the film, and purely an ensemble player.

questionable listings

Maltin & Bann also list Johnny "Uh-huh" Collum, but he's clearly not in the film. Perhaps publicity photos reveal a deleted scene that included him, but the payroll ledger doesn't mention him. His father, Joe, however, is listed as working in this film.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV

Small part. He's seen with the kids on the sidewalk and is chased along with them by Bumbo, but disappears halfway through the film.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

the adults:

John Lester Johnson as "Bumbo," The Wild Man from Borneo

Featured role. The kids think he's their uncle. He calls candy 'yum yum eat 'em up.'

May Wallace as the kids' mom

Small part. She sends her kids to the sideshow to visit their uncle.

Otto Fries as the kids' dad

Small part. He doesn't want his brother-in-law coming around the house.

Harry Bernard as the sideshow manager

Small part. He shows Bumbo to the man from the license bureau and then invites the kids in.

Dick Gilbert as a worker

Bit part. Of the three workers at the sideshow, he's the only one whose face is clearly shown.

other adults

Small parts and bit parts.

(1.) The man from the license bureau.

(2.) The stunt double for May Wallace.

(3.) The two other workers at the sideshow.

(4.) The man and the woman shown in portraits on the walls of the house.

(5.) The man on the sidewalk in the background of the chase sequence, running to the corner to see what's going on.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A1.) Most of this piece is played over the opening titles and while the letter is shown. The last half-verse is played as Spanky laughs and the end title appears.

"Prelude" by Leroy Shield

A short part of this piece is played as the parents talk about Uncle George.

"Here We Go" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1930. This is played as the kids look at the letter and mistakenly think that the wild man is their uncle. It's played again as Stymie is selected to go see where Bumbo is.

"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. The beginning of this piece is played as the kids talk to their mother about Uncle George. The beginning is repeated as Spanky makes small talk with Bumbo.

"Candy Candy" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played as Stymie hoards his candy from the other kids and Dickie shows them the picture of the wild man. It's repeated twice in a row as Spanky gives Bumbo various items out of the icebox.

"Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1931. This is played twice as the kids head off to see Uncle George, and the man from the license bureau drops by for an inspection.

"Give Us A Hand" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 4, 1931. This is played as the kids first meet Bumbo. It's played again as Spanky tries to knock out Bumbo and then gives him sardines.

"On To The Show" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. The very beginning of this piece is played as Stymie pulls out some candy and Bumbo reacts. The rest is played as Bumbo drinks the jug of wine. This is the version reproduced on the second Beau Hunks CD.

"Fliver Flops" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as Bumbo chases the kids back to the house. It's played again as Bumbo chases Stymie around the house.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

This is played twice as Spanky closes the shades and meets up with Bumbo.

piece 122 by Leroy Shield

This is a short effect piece played as Stymie meets up with Bumbo. A reproduction can be heard on the second Beau Hunks CD as an untitled addition to the "Funeral March" track. In that version, the musical track is played only twice, whereas it's played three times in this film.

"Sliding" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Also known as "Swell." This is played, with parts repeated, as the kids start to get the upper hand on the wild man.

"Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played as Spanky shoots flares at Bumbo's derriere and the parents get home.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios

The back porch where Spanky runs into the house was actually the back of the administration building, right next to the entrance gate.

the back yards

Maltin & Bann indicate that the scenes the kids are chased through are in Culver City.

the front door

If this is an actual location, then it's number 807 of whichever street it's on.

The Heinz 57 Hill

In the background as Spanky's running is a hill with a huge number 57 on it. The number was put there by the Heinz factory, which was nearby. This location was in the Baldwin Hills area, southeast of the Roach studio.

miscellaneous:

7 shooting dates went into the making of this film. About a month had passed since shooting finished for "Forgotten Babies" (no. 121). Shooting for "The Kid From Borneo" started on Jan. 9th and finished on Jan. 16th. No shooting took place on Jan. 15th, which was a Sunday. After this, about a week and a half passed before the Our Gang unit began filming "Mush And Milk" (no. 121).

This film was budgeted at a negative cost of $21,500.

The title of this film is a takeoff on "The Kid From Spain."

According to IMDb, this film had an estimated budget of $21,500.

In the category of unseen characters, the real Uncle George in this film is "George Billings."

This film was removed from King World's TV package in the early 70s.

See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.

© Robert Demoss.